As the sale ends soon, I thought it appropriate to share just how this story came about.

I’d had this idea for a spy novel for a while. I was always disappointed in the lack of female spies and the way the existing ones were portrayed. While they might be able to kick-ass occasionally, most ended up captured and needed to be rescued. Without a doubt, there was room for a strong-willed heroine who possessed the attitude and skills and absolutely no trace of the usual ‘damsel in distress’ element that plagues too many strong female characters.

Having read almost all the original James Bond novels by Ian Fleming, I wanted to create a female character who would be more than a match for a man like Bond. And then I started to wonder what Bond’s daughter would be like had he actually succeeded in impregnating any one of the women he’d encountered over the years. In one of Fleming’s short stories, there was a female character who was out to take revenge on the people that killed her parents. She was fiery and passionate. She ended up as a Bond girl in the movie ‘For Your Eyes Only’ and her name was Melina Havelock (Judy in the original story).

I contacted the Ian Fleming Foundation in the UK, who own the rights to all the Bond novels, including the new ones, to ask if I could reference James Bond in any way in what I originally wanted to be a spinoff novel. They were extremely helpful but couldn’t grant the permissions I needed. The story had to be original. Which I took as a challenge to write a James Bond spin off without any reference to Bond himself, M, Q, 007, a license to kill, etc. The result was HAVELOCK.

Is Eliana Havelock the daughter of James Bond? Does she have her own ulterior motives? Is she as lethal as she is beautiful? One thing’s for certain . . . Eliana Havelock doesn’t need a license to kill.

Ever had one of those days? The kind of days that challenge every skill, threaten every ethical standard, and undo every single concept of what you would ordinarily have considered an impossible situation? Despite near-perfect planning, I’m having one of those days right now.

It all started when I decided to find my father. I’ve never met him. His longtime vocation makes him a hard person to find at the best of times, but I recently discovered he was reported missing three years ago. He hasn’t surfaced since, and maybe it’s the paternal side of me, maybe it’s because my mother passed away and I’m seeking a parental figure, maybe I want to know why he never came back for me, but well… I gotta find out what happened.

And that’s why I, Eliana Havelock, now find myself tied to a chair in a dank basement somewhere near Karachi, Pakistan.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m about to be tortured.

Andrew Buckley - The Story So Far . . .

Andrew Buckley attended the Vancouver Film School’s Writing for Film and Television program. After pitching and developing several screenplay projects for film and television, he worked in marketing and public relations, before becoming a professional copy and content writer. During this time Andrew began writing his first adult novel, DEATH, THE DEVIL AND THE GOLDFISH, followed closely by his second novel, STILTSKIN both published by Curiosity Quills Press.

​Andrew also co-hosts a geek movie podcast, is working on several new novels, and has a stunning amount of other ideas. He now lives happily in the Okanagan Valley, BC with one beautiful wife, three kids, one cat, one needy dog, and a multitude of characters that live comfortably inside of his mind.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Hi, everyone. I'm at a bit of
a standstill when it comes to the NANO challenge, due to other issues popping
up, but I'm not giving up. I hope during this
last week I'll make good progress, although making 50,000 may not be
possible, the story is coming together.

I hope you'll check out
Patrick Hatt's guest post over at the WEP blog. He's giving advice on writing.
It's great stuff!

Christine is one of my favorite authors. This
time she took me back to Alaska with her Polar Bear shifters.

Ametta Dorn is a sexy, headstrong designer with big plans, and Lucky Osberg is a handsome firefighter with a desire to alter those plans, but a killer is on the loose and family is the target.It's an exciting journey through the wilds of Alaska with Ametta and Lucky and a host of shifters. Christine weaves her tale of the paranormal and romantic suspense with mystical native lore that only adds to the adventure. A page-turning mystery that does not disappoint.

Shifters across Alaska are going missing. When up and coming interior designer
Ametta Dorn rescues the gorgeous Kodiak shifter Lucky Osberg, she comes into
the crosshairs of two relentless hunters. While Lucky sets his sights on wooing
her, the killers seek to not only capture her in her powerful polar bear form
but to also take her skin.

To prevent her murder and the deaths of other shifters, she must work with
Lucky to track down and stop these merciless hunters. After all, their enemy’s
plan for shifter skins is something much more terrifying than collecting mere
trophies.

An ancient totem pole has gone missing, and its pieces are scattered across Alaska. Restoring the seven totem tokens may be the only way to save every shifter in the world.

Kinley Dorn, a geeky architect with a heart of gold and a polar bear shifter, jumps at the opportunity to help her family find the lost pieces. Their idea of “helping” involves staying indoors to research online. Work leads Kinley to sexy lynx shifter Ransom Averill. He coaxes her away from the safety behind her computer and into the path of a rampaging giant. Terrifying as the monster might be, she must brave its mountain because the owl totem is calling to her through silent whispers.

The same murderous shifters who had hunted her sister have attempted to steal a magical totem pole. Since the pieces are scattered across Alaska, Saskia, a polar bear shifter, takes her search to the tundra for any signs of the lost totems.

Instead she finds Sedge, the latest reincarnation of the old Inuit Bear god, who just happens to be the man who broke her heart.

They come across a small native village tormented by the Jinxioc, evil gnomes with an appetite for human flesh. Sedge declares he will rid the people of the menace, believing a totem token is nearby affecting the devils’ behavior. At his side, Saskia battles to save the tribesmen, but it could mean sacrificing herself.

Have you finished NANO, are you almost there?

Is turkey on your menu this week, and did you heed Pat's writing advice?

It had always been his dream. Traveling Route 66 was just one of my husband's chosen road trips.

He'd purchased the perfect motor home; it held everything needed for ease during cross-country excursions. Economical, and yet with every creature comfort!

His retirement choice wasn't mine.

I wanted the beach, an endless view, not mindless rutted roads with repeated views of meadows and trees. Or living with strangers and repeated smoke filled nights around campfires listening to the same dull stories and swatting mosquitoes.

Murder will out!

Now I reside here, my ashes trampled under the feet of other Route 66 tourists!

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Alex and
his gang have revved up IWSG Day to make it more fun and interactive! Every
month, they'll announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG Day
post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experience,
or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it
inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say.

Today's
Question:

What is
your favorite aspect of being a writer?

The
unlimited creativity! You get to be anyone or anything at anytime or place.

Pure and simple. J

I know
that's cheating. Such a short answer, well, maybe it is, and maybe it isn't. All I know is that this month
is National Novel Writing Month and I'm all up in it!

I've set a goal and that's to finish Motive for Murder
and I'm sticking to it.